**The bipartisan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 makes key investments to support U.S. service members and their families**

**Kuster-backed policies to end sexual assault in the military were included in this bipartisan legislation**

Washington, D.C. — Today, Rep. Annie Kuster (NH-02), voted to pass H.R. 4350, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022. This bipartisan legislation supports American service members and their families, increases pay for service members, combats military sexual violence, strengthens national security, and advances United States leadership in the world.

“I’m glad to see my colleagues from both sides of the aisle come together to deliver critical funding for our troops, expand investments in clean energy and technology, and combat military sexual violence,” said Rep. Kuster. “From promoting U.S. global leadership to honoring American commitments abroad, this legislation provides the armed forces with the resources they need to keep us safe, and I was proud to vote for this innovation-first measure.”

The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2022 will:

• Increase Pay for Our Troops: The bill takes several key steps to improve the quality of life for our service men and women, including authorizing support for a 2.7 percent pay increase and increasing the allowable parental leave for primary and secondary caregivers in military families.
• Combat Military Sexual Assault: The bill makes historic changes to better address sexual assault in the military, including removing the Commander from decisions related to the prosecution of sexual assault crimes and instead, creating an Office of Special Victim Prosecutor to prosecute these crimes.
• Strengthening our Navy: This bill authorizes the procurement of two new Virginia-class submarines which will help ensure freedom of navigation around the world and will be maintained at naval shipyards, like the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
• Invest in Innovation and Emerging Technologies: The bill takes measured steps to ensure the Department of Defense strengthens the nation’s efforts to defend democratic values around the world and modernize our national security institutions and processes. The bill includes a historic 36 percent increase in defense-wide basic and applied research and development, and significant increases in academic partnerships.
• Reinforce American Leadership Abroad: This bill combats our adversaries with new tools to deter aggression from Russia and China and reaffirms the United States’ commitment to NATO by providing ongoing support for European allies.

Congress has passed a National Defense Authorization Act every year for 60 consecutive years, upholding Congress’s constitutional responsibility to “provide for the common defense.”

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